The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1887-10-12
TRIPLE MURDER.
Tragedy Near Madison, GAIA Negro Mar
Kills Three Members of Ills Family.

Kills Three Member of His Family.
A special from Madison, Ga, to the
Atlanta Constitution says:
The people of Morgan county are
aroused by the news of a terrible family
tragedy which took place some time be-
tween Saturday night and Sunday morn
ing. About 2 o'clock OF Sunday morn
ing the clatter of horses feet were heard
oly Marshal Beardon, he rider exclaim-
in5 III great excitement as he rode in:
~ want q doctor! l want the sheriff.
Old man Dow Locket is deadl Aunt
Lucy and Mollie nave their throats out
and are dying"
The rider was n negro, named Bill,
who worked on the plantation of Mr..
Anthony Fannin, three miles from
town. Upon the same plantation lived
Dow LOcket, a venerable old negro, and
us wife Lucy. They had but n child
with them, their daughter Mollie, Sew
crnl years ago she accepted the love of
Alexander Morris, a hand working upon
an adjoining plantation. For a while
ri won't well, until jealousy entered the
heart of Morris, and after that there was
but little peace. He whipped his wife
frequently, and abused her SO that she
was afraid of her life. Early last week
he went home II night and renewed his
cruel treatment. He beat her until she
Tell exhausted in a faint. Some time
during the night her consciousness re-
turned, when she found her husband
sleeping soundly beside her. Stealthily
she arose, and, slipping out of the house,
ran III desperation to the home of her
parents, where she obtained refuge.
about an hour ago." said the rider,
81 heard terrible screams, which were
preceded by a gunshot. Running out L
! IN w "A may, az I.r,1,o,' -. s-.-L Ill
ing Il woman out, kicking her, and cut
ting wildly at her with a knife. The
n~elShbors began to gather, when the
man tan of, and by the time the nature
Of his work was known he had disap-
pcared entirely. The woman in the
yard was Moll!c, the wife of Aleck
Morris. Her throat was cut clean across.
The people went in and found that
Lockett was dead, while his wife Was
almost dead, with her throat cut clean
across, Just like her daughters outside.
.Llen Jumped on my horse and rode
into town after a DOCTOR"
\ party was at once organized, con-
sisting of the coroner, shorthand several
others, who reached the scene of the
tragedy at daylight. Hundreds of ex-
cited negroes had gathered ut the place,
among whom the excitement was in
dense. All agreed that they would lynch
the murderer if they could get him.
The most licndiSh Toms of torture were
proposed for Morris. The wounded
wl!o sad that her husband came to the
house, as he claimed, to effect a recon
cI!Ntuu, and wanted his wife to go back
with him. This she refused to do. He
then snd he would stay al night. When
bedtime came Lockct went to bed,
sleeping on a pallet on the floor, while
his wife, Lucy, got into the bed, in the
corner OF the room, and Mollie got on a
bed III the opposite side. What follow
eli can best be told in her own words, as
told your correspondent:
Dad wen! to sleep about 10 o'clock,
and was soon snoozlng. Nam talked
awhile, aud she, too, fell asleep, and left
Alcck sitting In the door. He wanted
mc to go back with him, an sorter
promised to go. ! was 'fraid of him,
an then ! wanted to get some money Of
mine he had, and [ Just talked kinder
good to him. BY and by / tell asleep.
When | walked up | looked over to SEQ
mann stopping over dads pallet trying
to put out the fire. His cover was
aDIaZc and the room was tull of smoke.
just hen J saw a man spring on mann
and throw her to the floor. She sorter
choked, and L jumped out Of bed. 1t
'N' ASS IN - I1thh ulll bDIulR
upon me, dragging me out the door to
the ground. | saw "a knife IN his hand,
lie struck at my throat, but / warded it
oil; the next lick and he cut me again
and again. | felt Che keen edge OF his
knife. Then he jumped and run. Alcck
was was not drunk, and | don't know
why he wanted to kill us. Did not
know dad was killed until Just before
you came. The shot must have walked
me-"
In the room Dow Locket lay on his
side with his eyes closed in sleep. He
evidently died without a struggle, and
never knew what killed him. A double
barrel gun lay on the floor, with it's
muzzle not six inches from his head. 1t
was his gun, and the assassin had to
step over his sleeping form to get it
from the race.
Sheriff Hillsman at once sent for Toon
Powells dogs. The animals took ND
the scent without trouble running in
the direction Of Newton county. When
last heard from they were half way be-
tween Madison and Atlanta, while the
pursuing party of whites and blacks was
being Increased as it went along by peo-
pie anxious TO Join in the lynching of
the triple murderer.